The Daily Valet. - 1/27/21, Wednesday

✔️ A New Roaring Twenties?

January 27, 2021

Wednesday, January 27th Edition

Cory Ohlendorf, Editor in Chief of Valet.

How many Snoopy shirts can a guy who has a beagle own? Asking for ... myself.

Cory Ohlendorf , Editor ⋯ @coryohlendorf

Today's edition is presented by

Today’s Big Story

A New Roaring Twenties?

In a dark times, some predict a new economic and cultural boom is inevitable

A century ago, the world had finally made if through the 1918 flu. One of history's deadliest epidemics, following the First World War, gave way to a decade that would be named for its economic abandon and social revolution—a decade of consumerism and frothy financial markets, of new music, art and fashion, of individual freedom and self-gratification.

Might we expect to see this repeat? With more than 2.1 million people dead around the world from COVID-19, including some 425,000 in the U.S., along with all the country’s other problems, it’s become almost too seductive to resist harking back to better times.

CNBC is promising “a roaring post-COVID boom.” The Economist is tantalized by hints of “a new period of economic dynamism,” and the Wall Street Journal predicts the best era for manufacturing since the 1990s. Even Nobel laureate Paul Krugman—one of the most convinced curmudgeons in economics—says that “things will get better.”

But Medium’s Steve LeVine asks, are the positivists right? For the next couple of years, they seem almost certain to be. As increasing numbers of people are vaccinated and the country reopens, Americans are likely to bolt into action.

And boy, will we have reason to celebrate. It’s not just the numbers that point to a consumer boom; behind them lies something less tangible yet perhaps even more convincing. You don’t have to be an economist (only human) to understand the desire to let loose, get together, and take risks after a year of cautiously locking down at home and distancing ourselves from one another.

Yale professor Dr. Nicholas Christakis told the New York Post that a hedonistic phase no doubt awaits us. The question is, how will the next Roaring Twenties end? Hopefully not like the last one.

↦ FYI: According to The Hollywood Reporter, ‘The Great Gatsby’ is coming to television in the form of a big-budget miniseries.

Biden Phases Out the Use of Private Prisons

Executive orders aim to address systemic racism

President Joe Biden is directing the Justice Department to not renew contracts with private prisons, as part of a slew of executive orders focused on racial equity he signed Tuesday.

Such facilities, operated across the country, are a billion-dollar industry, paid for with taxpayer money and often plagued by dehumanizing conditions for inmates, minimal training of personnel, and work conditions that former detainees liken to slave labor, reports the Daily Beast.

“This is the first step to stop corporations from profiting off of incarcerated—incarceration that is less humane and less safe, as the studies show. And it is just the beginning,” Biden said just before signing the actions. “And it's time to act now, not only because it's the right thing to do. Because if we do, we'll all be better off.”

Biden had promised to make racial equity a central part of his presidency on the campaign trail and during his inauguration last week. Over the last decade, ending private prison funding has become a major cause for Democrats and criminal justice activists, elevated as well by the rising Black Lives Matter movement.

↦ Meanwhile: The Justice Department has officially rescinded the Trump administration's “zero tolerance” migrant family separation policy.

Special Promotion

Valentine’s Day will be spent at home this year. But that’s okay, if you’re stocked with everything you need for a wild night.

A Billionaire Brawl

Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos are fighting publicly in front of the FCC

The two richest men on the planet are sparring in front of federal regulators over the massive satellite internet projects their companies are developing, reports CNBC.

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk took to Twitter on Tuesday, as his company works to persuade Federal Communications Commission officials that it should allow SpaceX to move some of its Starlink satellites to lower altitudes than originally planned. He claims that Amazon is objecting to the request to move satellites lower in order to stifle competition, as Amazon's satellites aren't yet ready.

An official Amazon News account tweeted out that SpaceX was the company trying to stifle competition and that Amazon has designed its satellites to avoid interference with SpaceX's.

Will the FCC give SpaceX the go-ahead to lower its satellite’s orbits? Or will SpaceX be held back? Don’t expect an immediate verdict. But, according to Geek Wire, Musk has won the upper hand over Bezos on a string of space issues, so he just might come out ahead.

↦ FYI: Using figures from Forbes’ 2020 Billionaire List, the world’s 10 richest men, including both Musk and Bezos, saw their fortunes increase by half a trillion dollars since the pandemic began.

Cartoons Take Over Menswear

And, honestly, it might be just what we need

In the midst of a pandemic and a divided political landscape, something sweet and slightly silly is a welcome change. Take, for example, the current crop of cartoon characters memorialized in menswear.

On Monday, Kith will drop a full range of apparel and accessories that commemorates The Simpsons. The expansive collection—which was made in conjunction with the legendary show's creator and cartoonist Matt Groening—includes both graphic tees and more subtle sweaters and hats.

For Todd Snyder's latest installment in the brand's ongoing collaboration with Peanuts, Snoopy embarks on a world tour and stops at some of the most sartorially-inspiring destinations around the globe—from London and Los Angeles to Tokyo. Todd says it was inspired “in part by nostalgia for a time when hopping on a plane was a simpler undertaking than it is right now.”

And modern prep clothier Rowing Blazers' newest collaboration celebrates the regal elephant Babar. This collection is the first of an ongoing partnership between the New York label and Canadian animation studio Nelvana that takes the classic threads the brand is known for and remixes them with the French storybook's iconography, including Babar, his car, even his hot air balloon.

In Other News

Other Things We’re Talking About Today

This Porsche-inspired boat

Making sense of scents

‘How To with John Wilson’

Special Promotion

Stock Your Goodie Drawer

Make sure you’re ready for Valentine’s Day

Like much of the past twelve months, Valentine’s Day in 2021 won’t be like most years. Most of us will be spending it at home instead of going out on the town. But that doesn’t mean it has to be bad.

In fact, with the right supplies, it might be better. Skip the crowds and go right to the good part by stocking your nightstand will all the essentials for a long, romantic night. Promescent, the popular intimacy wellness brand that has made a name for itself with a line of cutting-edge bedroom products that are backed up by years of scientific and medical research. Everything specifically designed and clinically proven to provide long-lasting pleasure.

From their best-selling Delay Spray—recommended by more than 2,000 healthcare professionals because it works without spoiling any of the fun—to their female arousal gel and a range of lubes, they’ve got any and everything you need to make the night memorable. So why not invest in your relationship? Especially since you won’t be overpaying for dinner in an overstuffed restaurant.

Delay Spray, $22.95

Female Arousal Gel, $19.95

Long-lasting water-based lube, $8.99

VitaFLUX supplements, $49.95

↦ Learn More: about Promescent

Make Room for Books

Especially these days ...

Books have the ability to transport us to worlds we might never see and introduce us to people we would never meet. They instill emotions and inspire thoughts we might have never otherwise felt or thought on our own.

It's no secret that reading is good for you. But especially these days, reading's ability to provide you with the tools to think more decisively and connect with others is more handy than ever. Not to mention, books make us look more attractive to others and give our homes a worldly vibe.

So it's time to make room for books in your life. And in case you need more convincing, let us count the ways. We examine all the ways that reading improves your life, from strengthening your mind to softening your heart and actually extending your life.

↦ Read: Why every man should be reading (now more than ever).

What We’re Buying

You might not be all that familiar with Madewell. But the J.Crew offshoot has been putting out high quality denim (mostly for women) for years. I can tell you that the the men's jeans are comparable to any premium brand out there. The Madewell masterminds have decades of experience bringing tried-and-true fits together with the latest fabric tech. These classic jeans have a modern fit and an authentic and rigid look, but require zero break-in time. Which basically just boils down to them being unbelievably comfortable. Now, they're even more affordable.

↦ Get It $128 / $79.99 at Madewell